• Born: 12/05/1945


• Died: 25/04/2007


• Birthplace: Farnworth


• Nationality: English

Alan James Ball, born on the 12th May 1945, started his senior career at a team his father managed, called Ashton United, who interestingly enough were once called Hurst, and were the club another Everton legend, Dixie Dean, finished 'his' career at.

He left school with no qualifications, and after an unsuccessful trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and then Bolton Wanderers, who actually deemed him too small, he eventually signed as an apprentice with Blackpool, after his father pulled some strings with a former friend who was a coach there.

He turned professional in May 1962, and made his professional debut in a 2-1 victory over none other than Liverpool, at Anfield, becoming Blackpool's youngest debutant, at just 17 years and 98 days.

He was soon noticed by England manager Alf Ramsey, who gave him his international debut on 9th May 1965 in a 1–1 draw with Yugoslavia in Belgrade, three days before his twentieth birthday. Ball quickly became an ideal midfielder for Ramsey, who was preparing for the World Cup only a year later.

Ball, like several others, was relatively inexperienced at international level, and by the time England faced West Germany in the final, still hadn't reached his 10th cap, but what a player he was.

He was the youngest member of Alf Ramsey's World Cup team, at just 21 years of age. In fact at the time of writing, Ball's appearance in the final marked the last occasion in which a Blackpool player received a full England cap.

Alan Ball's 1966 World Cup winning performances with the England team attracted the attention of a number of clubs, but none more than Everton.

When Harry Catterick finally signed Ball in August 1966, it cost a whopping £110,000; a sum unheard of before, and a British record transfer fee was handed to Blackpool.

These were to be exciting times at Everton. They themselves had just won the 1966 FA Cup, and with Ball, would go on to be one of the most successful teams in Everton's history.

At Everton, Ball played in midfield alongside Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, effectionately known as 'The Holy Trinity', who still to this day are regarded as one of Englands, and certainly Everton's finest midfields.

Everton at the time were referred to as 'The Mersey Millionaires' thanks to then Chairman John Moores, who had made a fortune as owner of Littlewoods Pools, and he was a man prepared to sign the very best players.

Having just lost out on an FA cup winners medal, losing 1-0 to West Bromwich Albion after extra time in 1967-1968, Ball would go on to win the Football League First Division with Everton in the 1969-1970 season, followed by the Charity Shield.

Harry Catterick was once asked to state how much he thought Alan Ball was worth; “£1 million pounds" was his reply, which would have been an enormous figure given Ball's own transfer record was £110,000. He was asked if he would sell the red haired genius and replied "I'd consider it and then I'd say no".

Ball was the complete midfielder - a passionate man with true vision. He could pass the ball all over the park, and wasn't shy in scoring goals himself.

Unfortunately for heartbroken Everton fans, nine months later Ball left for Arsenal for a fee of £220,000. He would go on to play in a further two World Cups, lead his country as captain, and one of the last of the World Cup winners to retire from international football.

Ball would extend his football career for another decade, including, but not limited to a return to Blackpool, two periods at Southampton, and even having spells abroad as a player and player / manager in such places as South Africa, North America, Australia and Hong Kong.

In 2007, aged 67 years old, Alan suffered a heart attack at his home in Warsash, Hampshire, trying to control a bonfire, and the man referred to many who loved him as "Little Curly Alan Ball" was taken from us.

"Once Everton has touched you nothing will be the same" - Alan Ball.